Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Worry Of Faulty Bottle Seals Prompts Abbott Baby Formula Recall
Abbott is recalling some formula for infants and kids because the bottles may have defective caps and not seal completely, possibly leading to spoilage. But Friday's recall is relatively small and shouldn't spark a repeat of the nationwide shortages of baby formula endured earlier this year, the company said. (Gibson, 10/14)
In other public health news —
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today proposed new rules that would support a strategy for cutting Salmonella contamination in poultry products to reduce foodborne illnesses. In a nutshell, the USDA is exploring whether certain levels or types of Salmonella in raw poultry products pose enough of a risk to be considered adulterants. In August, the USDA's FSIS announced that it would declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed raw chicken products, which have been linked to as many as 14 foodborne illness outbreaks since 2018. (Schnirring, 10/14)
Amid rising concern over antibiotic resistance, a new report finds that a dozen of the leading grocery chains in the U.S. are largely failing to take steps that are needed to prevent the spread of so-called superbugs in the food supply chain. (Silverman, 10/14)
In mental health news —
More than 130 national and state children’s groups are asking the Biden administration to do more to address youth mental health, including by issuing an emergency declaration on the issue — the latest amplification of the seriousness of the youth mental health crisis. (Raman, 10/14)
The researchers looked at how people were best able to manage feelings of anxiety and depression at the height of the pandemic, finding that one of the most effective methods was to take breaks from the barrage of bad news. (Edwards, 10/14)
When Dr. Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and author of You Are Not Alone, interviewed 130 people with mental health conditions for his new book, he found a common thread among many of his interviewees: they used hobbies as a way to manage their stress and mental health. One person Duckworth interviewed began drumming as a way to calm themselves and felt that the rhythmic aspect engaged them, while another enjoyed the playful nature of routinely going thrifting with a friend: one of them would look for motorcycle parts while the other searched for baseball cards. (Mikhail, 10/16)
